If your child doesn't have daily bowel movements, you may worry that he or she is constipated.
Constipation occurs for a variety of reasons. Bowel patterns vary in children just as they do in adults. Because of this, it is sometimes difficult to tell if your child is truly constipated.
One child may go two or three days without a bowel movement and still not be constipated, while another might have relatively frequent bowel movements but have difficulty passing the stool.
Or, a child's constipation may go unnoticed if he passes a small stool each day, while a buildup of stool develops in his colon. In general, it is best to watch for the signals if you suspect constipation.
Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson (aka: "Mama Doc") joins Melanie Cole to discuss the real facts about constipation, as well as offer treatment options and solutions.